Select one of the social issues covered in 2-4. The possible issues are: Language and Power. Consider which issue interests you the most or about which you have a clear, strong perspective; ideally you will continue to work with this issue throughout the remainder of the course assignments.
Now choose two of the readings selections related to that social issue. You should choose two readings in the same topic. For each of those two readings,
write a 1-2 paragraph summary of the reading selection.
write a 1-2 paragraph response to the reading selection.
Organization
First present the 1-2 paragraph summary and the 1-2 paragraph response for your first reading selection. Then, present the 1-2 paragraph summary and the 1-2 paragraph response for your second reading selection.
Be sure that your paragraphs follow the guidelines for paragraph structure.
Review the Week 2 learning resources for a sample summary-response paper.
Language Choices
As a writer, you are free to decide how you use language, keeping the following in mind:
style: your language choices should result in a consistent writing style that is purposeful and aligned with your goals
readability: your language choices should ensure that your ideas are clear and easy to follow
When composing your paper, think about the conventions for academic writing, including:
punctuation: this includes things such as recommended use of commas, colons, and apostrophes.
word-level accuracy: this includes things such as capitalization, spelling, word-tense, and usage.
sentence-level accuracy: this includes things such as sentence boundaries, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun-antecedent agreement.
Take time to review your language choices after you’ve written your essay. Think about your goals for the style of this essay and your own writing habits (like using “text-speak,” omitting capitalization, or writing sentence fragments). Revise as necessary to accomplish your style and readability goals.
Reading your paper aloud is helpful technique when reviewing your language choices for style and readability.
Sources and Documentation
You are required to use two sources for this assignment. Your sources should be selected from the assigned course readings on your selected issue (language and power; freedom and security; health and wealth).
Since your sources are from assigned course readings, you do not need to include formal citations. However, you should demonstrate basic attribution. This means you should reference the article titles and authors in your summary-response. For example:
In the reading selection, “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work,” Jean Anyon discusses how American schools are set up to fully educate students from upper-class backgrounds and to give a limited education to students from lower-class backgrounds.
Format and Length
You should submit your summary-response for both readings in a single document/file.
At the top of the page, include your name, the assignment name, and a title that reflects your specific essay focus. (See example below.)
Your paper should be typed, double-spaced and in 11 or 12-point font.
Your summary and response for each of the reading selections should be a minimum of two paragraphs (about 400-500 words) in length. This means that your total document will be 4-8 paragraphs (about 800-1000 words) in length.
Review the Week 2 learning resources for a sample summary-response paper.
Sample Header and Title for Assignment Submissions
Kim Lee (student’s name)
Summary-Response (assignment name)
Language and Power (title)
Dhamala, B. (2020, July 4). The power of language and how it impacts life. The Kathmandu Post. https://kathmandupost.com/as-it-is/2020/07/04/the-power-of-language-and-how-it-impacts-life
Telser, E. (2023, April 20). How do language and power interact? Eurac Research Science Blogs. https://www.eurac.edu/en/blogs/connecting-the-dots/how-do-language-and-power-interact
